Nocturne

2016This architectural experiment seeks to define the fluid presence of space. The space in question is the physical surrounds of the room, its length and breadth, corners, edges, ins and outs, accentuated by the manipulation of light, both natural and artificial. Filling the role of a light carrier, the emptiness of ventilation pipes attempts to manipulate the capricious material of dispersed sunrays. Here, the exaggerated exposition of the mundane amenities, the vessels of a building, forced to carry the unusual substance, embodies the room between.

The method was developed in a search for alternative, energy-efficient and sustainable ways of lighting a space. The sunlight is gathered at the window surface and then directed to the interior of the building, using light tube technology, reflecting at the shiny surface of the pipes.

The installation presents a dispersed light yellow sunlight of a very unusual quality, reflecting the cold of the metal. It is unlike any light experienced in the everyday life. It takes about 15 minutes for human eyes to adjust to the darkness, and it forces us to look closely at our environment, focus on the movements and the voices of the people in the room with us. The space is experienced in a completely new way, as it reveals itself gradually, instead of overpowering us with its volume immediately. There was an encouraging atmosphere for talking, like sitting around a camp fire in the summer. We found ourselves talking about the symbolic meaning of light, it’s physical ability to travel from the sun to our eyes, moving on to the seasonal affective disorder, pirate patches and vernacular architecture.